General Motors Celebrates World Environment Day in India

New Delhi: General Motors India today concluded a line-up of several activities planned across its centres to commemorate the World Environment Day on June 5, 2010. GM India, an active agent of alternate mobility solutions, takes its commitment forward through several planned and ongoing key initiatives across the nation to engage with its stakeholders.

To celebrate World Environment Day, GM India held Free Pollution Check Campaigns at all its workshops and issued Free Pollution under Control (PUC) certificates, if the vehicle met the necessary emission requirements, in collaboration with SIAM. In order to engage its internal audience and spread the “Go Green” approach, several activities were organized by GM India. At GMI’s Technical Centre (GMTCI), a Walkathon was held in association with the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Panel of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). This was a walk to spread awareness about a greener environment and maintain an ecological balance. In its plants in Halol and Talegaon, GMI undertook tree plantation drives in the premises, and quiz, banner, slogan and poster-making competitions for all staff members. Additionally, GM India sponsored the World Environment Day initiatives undertaken by Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda including All India Essay Competition, On the Spot Poster Competition and Seminar on Biodiversity Conservation for Green Economy.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr P Balendran, Vice-President, General Motors India, said, “World Environment Day is an important day to understand and educate environmental issues that our planet faces today. GM India is deeply committed to being an agent of change to reduce carbon footprint and adopt green technology, and has taken several steps to attain this. Be it LPG and CNG variants of our products, the EV technology we possess or the development of Jatropha for bio-diesel, GM India constantly strives towards safeguarding the environment and presenting consumers with options to be able to adopt alternate mobility solutions and environment-friendly technology.”

GM India has relentlessly endeavored to undertake initiatives and develop associations that have the ability to re-define how automotive companies in India work and to develop future mobility solutions keeping the carbon footprints and environmental issues in mind. In tandem with this, GM India has signed a five-year partnership with US Department of Energy and India’s Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI) to develop Jatropha as a sustainable bio-fuel energy crop, reiterating the company’s commitment to green technology and alternative fuels. The partnership will also explore the development of new varieties of the plant that have high yields and can withstand adverse environmental conditions. GM India will be ready to respond by introducing biodiesel-capable products with Jatropha proving commercially viable. GM India has also introduced Spark LPG and Aveo CNG in the market to offer wider portfolio and greener technology to its consumers.